


Fractured in Ice

by TacosAreTasty33



Series: Forever in Love [2]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Gus has some skeletons in her closet, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Long-Distance Relationship, Things get a little chilly, Unplanned family reunion, Waverly gets to play with fire again, Wayhaught - Freeform, Wynonna and Nicole really don't get along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-06-30 13:23:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19854058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacosAreTasty33/pseuds/TacosAreTasty33
Summary: In the second part of the Forever in Love series, Nicole and Waverly are tested in ways they never have been before. With the unwelcome arrival of Wynonna and the challenges of a long-distance relationship, they find themselves growing apart. Will their budding romance survive the bitterly cold winter? Or will it fracture like ice and fall apart, never to be fixed?Find out in 'Fractured in Ice', a Wayhaught Artist AU where Waverly Earp is a renowned glassblower and Nicole Haught is a successful gallery director.





	1. Colder

**Author's Note:**

> Earpers, how I've missed you. This story will be the ice to the fire that was part one. There will be angst, growing pains, and lots of hurt. But it'll end happily, I promise :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy Fractured in Ice, the sequel to Forged in Fire!
> 
> Shoutout to my beta 'AGirlWithPicturesInHerMind' for putting up with me, editing like a baller, and being kinda cool.
> 
> xoxo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Waverly had always dreamt of that untouchable yet effortless kind of joy that everyone seemed to have.
> 
> In quiet moments, she’d let herself fantasize about how it would feel to be that happy. She imagined it would feel like her life’s worth of pain and worry were healed in an instant. It would root her in the light and chase away her darkness. Above all, it would be full of love—for herself and from those she held in her heart. 
> 
> Not a minute ago, Waverly had been snuggled up with the woman she loves, laughing and chatting with her uncle, and waiting on her aunt to reappear so they could continue their evening, and she’d felt that happiness she’d dreamt about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's good to be back!! I have missed this story and these characters terribly. Without further ado, let's get into it!
> 
> This chapter is a brief introduction into what the eff happened after Gus dropped that beer bottle on the porch, post-Wynonna arrival! 
> 
> The chapter title comes from the song by Carly Bannister. Give the song (and the playlist that @sanversinsane created for this fic) a listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5U59OxtVtADtgFDQRtxzDl?si=ENJkMJjYROewhD7_Lq2z_w
> 
> Enjoy, Earpers :)

**Chapter One: Colder**

Waverly had always dreamt of that untouchable yet effortless kind of joy that everyone seemed to have.

In quiet moments, she’d let herself fantasize about how it would feel to be that happy. She imagined it would feel like her life’s worth of pain and worry were healed in an instant. It would root her in the light and chase away her darkness. Above all, it would be full of love—for herself and from those she held in her heart. 

Not a minute ago, Waverly had been snuggled up with the woman she loves, laughing and chatting with her uncle, and waiting on her aunt to reappear so they could continue their evening, and she’d felt that happiness she’d dreamt about.

Waverly never thought it could be taken away in a matter of moments.

But with her eyes locked on the slightly slouching figure of her older sister, Waverly felt everything she’d worked so hard for, those feelings of safety and love, slip through her fingertips. 

Everyone stood motionless in a silent stalemate. As the bottle sat shattered on the porch, so too, did the serenity that had once surrounded them.

“Glad to see you’re still standing, old man,” Wynonna said, gaze on Curtis.

Waverly fought back the tears that sprang to her eyes. It had been over a decade since she’d heard that vaguely hoarse but honeyed voice. It made her nostalgic for the time of pigtails and princesses and the home she thought she’d had with her sister. The flood of memories threatened to bring Waverly to her knees, and she would’ve fallen if not for Nicole’s arm wrapped around her waist. 

Waverly could tell Wynonna was hiding her fear behind a mask of nonchalance. In the inky darkness of the night, she could see the stiffness in Wynonna’s frame, the harrowed glint in her eyes.

“You’re, uhh, looking good too, Gus. Despite the waste of a good beer at your feet,” Wynonna said.

After a beat of silence and no sign that Gus would reply, Wynonna’s gaze moved to the only other family member she had.

Waverly felt pulled in by those familiar eyes, a deep sense of kinship tugging at her heart. Almost a decade after Wynonna had walked away, she returned, bringing with her the explanations that Waverly had once craved almost more than anything else in the world. But Wynonna also brought with her the years of suffering and sorrow, of twisted thoughts and toxic narratives.

There was once a time when Waverly had wanted Wynonna to come back into her life. But the sun had set on that moment. Waverly wasn’t some lost little girl anymore. Now, she was all grown up and she was _pissed_.

A cold, detached fury filled Waverly as she stared at her sister. Even as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, manifestations of her anger and agony, Waverly stared. Even as waves of repressed anguish clouded her face, Waverly stared. In the end, it was Wynonna who looked away first.

“Hey—hey, Babygirl,” Wynonna said, eyes darting to Waverly’s as she spoke, only to fall to the ground again once she’d finished.

Waverly didn’t bother with an answer. She moved out from under Nicole’s arm and stormed inside. After wrenching the door closed behind her, Waverly bounded up the stairs, all thoughts and feelings remotely resembling happiness now replaced with icy indifference.

~~~

Nicole looked from Gus, to Curtis, to Wynonna, and then to the door behind which Waverly had just disappeared. 

She was torn, completely uncertain where her place was. Should she stay? Should she follow Waverly? After a moment of reservation and feeling stifled by the uncomfortable quiet on the porch, Nicole realized she had no business out here.

With a final look at Wynonna, seeing confusion flash across her face as they made eye contact, Nicole whirled around and went after Waverly. Whatever came of this night, whatever world-altering, life-changing events transpired, she knew her place would always be with Waverly.

Nicole closed the front door and peeked into the living room. No Waverly. Leaning her head to look into the kitchen, she once again came up empty. But then she sighed when she heard stomping above her. 

Nicole made her way upstairs and headed towards the guest room. The door was ajar, and she saw Waverly pacing back and forth. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her face was contorted in complete and utter heartbreak.

“Oh, my love,” Nicole whispered, pushing open the door and erasing some of the space between them. 

Waverly paused her movements but didn’t release her arms. She kept her gaze on the floor. Nicole stopped a foot away from Waverly, her hand paused mid-air. They hadn’t gone through something like this before as a couple. She had no clue if Waverly was in need of comfort, or if she merely needed someone to remain at arm’s length and simply be there for her. 

“Wave?” Nicole said, eyebrows lifted slightly. 

Tear-filled, red-ringed eyes rose to meet her own. “Nicole, I-” Waverly said, shaking her head. But no words followed. Waverly simply unfurled her arms and rushed towards Nicole.

Nicole immediately embraced her, understanding her unspoken message. 

She gently rocked them back and forth, whispering words of comfort. Waverly squeezed her tighter and burrowed closer, as if she were trying to lose herself in Nicole and not have to face reality. 

Gradually, Waverly’s grip loosened, and she retracted out of Nicole’s arms and looked up. Nicole met her gaze and gave her a tight-lipped smile, the worry within her fueled by the almost catatonic look on Waverly’s face. 

She brought her hands up to cup Waverly’s cheeks and grazed her thumbs across Waverly’s skin, hoping to imbue some soothing strength with the touch. 

“Wave?” she asked again, tilting her head slightly to the side. “You okay?” 

“I...don't know how to answer that,” Waverly said, hands settling low on Nicole’s hips. “I don’t even know what to say, right now.”

Leaning forward to ghost her lips across Waverly’s forehead, Nicole whispered an answer into her furrowed brow. “That’s okay. You don’t have to know. But somethin' tells me not knowin' isn’t exactly helpin' right now?”

Waverly chuckled humorlessly, dropping her gaze to where her hands were toying with Nicole’s flannel. 

“Not really. I just...I’m feeling so many things at once? And it’s like everything is moving too fast and I don’t—I can’t—I-”

“Hey,” Nicole said. “Breathe, Waverly.”

Nicole took Waverly’s hand and placed her palm against her chest. “Focus on me. Feel the way my chest rises and falls.”

Waverly’s frenzied gaze lifted to meet her own, her brows knitted.

“Oh—oh—okay,” Waverly managed to say.

“Now match me. Breathe with me.”

Waverly nodded and then turned her attention to her palm resting on Nicole’s chest. Gradually, they began to sync, and Waverly’s shallow breathing turned into long inhales and even longer exhales. 

“Better?” Nicole said, noticing Waverly’s now wrinkle-free forehead and clear eyes. 

“Better.”

Nicole released Waverly’s wrist and lifted Waverly’s chin. Eyes meeting, Nicole said, “I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but everythin’s goin' to be okay.”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re very ‘glass-half-full’ when the sky starts falling and everything goes to poop?”

Nicole smiled. “You bring it out of me, baby. But, the sky’s not fallin', and nothin' is goin' to...poop. I promise.”

Any humor or lightness Waverly had in her eyes immediately dissipated. “Don’t promise me that. You can’t possibly know that.”

Grimacing, Nicole dropped her hands onto Waverly’s shoulders. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I...I don’t know that. But, I _do_ know that you’re the toughest woman I’ve ever met. Someone once told me you walked through fire and came out stronger for it. Everythin' I’ve come to learn and love about you has proved that ten times over. So you can do this."

“I don’t know if I can, Nicole. I’m so...angry. God, I’m so fudging angry!” Waverly said. “Who gave her the right to show up _right_ when I got my life back together and dealt with all the shit she caused? _Right_ when you and I got back on track?”

Nicole didn’t know how to answer those questions. But, if there was one thing she’d learned in life, it was that no matter how screwed up or spectacular, there was a bigger purpose for everything. So, there was a reason for Wynonna showing up here after so long. She just hadn’t figured it out yet.

“It beats me, Waves. But you have every right to be angry with her. Get pissed, scream, cry, all that jazz.” She could feel Waverly trembling against her, so she began to rub Waverly’s back. “You, of all people, are entitled to that.”

“Thank you,” Waverly said, kissing the side of Nicole’s neck. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’ll never have to know,” Nicole said. “I’m not goin' anywhere.”

~~~

“What the hell are you doing here?” Gus said. After seeing Waverly retreat into the house with that same haunted, broken look she had as a kid, Gus wasn’t wasting time on pleasantries. 

Wynonna stuffed her hands deep into her pants pockets. She rocked on the balls of her feet, her gaze flicking between Gus and Curtis. 

“You didn’t get my RSVP? I swore I sent it,” Wynonna said with a shrug.

“Cut the crap or get off my land."

“Gus,” Curtis said, laying a hand on her shoulder. Curtis was giving her that look. The one that told her to lighten up, to be more understanding. It only added fuel to her cold fury. 

“Don’t,” she said, softening just a tad for him. “I have every right to demand answers from her. It’s been ten goddamn years.”

Curtis sighed and lifted his hands in surrender. He then looked at Wynonna, who still stood in front of her bike. She couldn’t be more than ten feet from the porch, but the distance looked insurmountable.

“Go easy on her,” Curtis said, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and moving slowly towards the door.

Gus wasn’t sure who he was talking to, her or Wynonna. Either way, his warning would go unheeded. Hearing the door click shut, Gus angled her head and gestured at Wynonna, her jaw set.

“I asked you a question. What the hell are you doing here?”

Wynonna started walking up to the porch, her strides slow. “Little birdy told me Curtis wasn’t doing so hot. So I thought-”

But Gus had heard enough and held up a hand to stop Wynonna’s words and her forward progress.

“You thought what? You could show up after everything that happened and we’d welcome you back with open arms?”

“You can’t still be putting on that act, Gus. We both know why I left. I don’t recall you giving me much of a choice.”

Gus paled slightly, the reminder putting a bad taste in her mouth. But then she shook her head, standing resolved once more. 

“Leave, Wynonna. She doesn’t need you anymore. And neither do we.”

Wynonna shook her head, letting out a small, sardonic laugh. “How about we let Waverly decide what she needs? Tell her I’ll be at Shorty’s tomorrow.”

“She won’t show. You’re wasting your time.”

Wynonna shot her a forced smile and then looked up. Whatever she saw caused her to soften and give a slight nod. Then she turned and headed to her bike. In a matter of moments, she was tearing down the same gravel lane that’d brought her there. 

Gus watched her disappear into the night, feeling nothing but dread settle low in her stomach.

~~~

Waverly let the curtain fall from her hand.

Wynonna had left. Again. Only this time, Waverly didn’t wish for her to come back. This time, Wynonna could stay the hell away from her, Nicole, and her family.

“She gone?” Nicole said from the bed.

Waverly turned and looked at her. Nicole looked relaxed, lounging against the headboard, her legs crossed at the ankles, but Waverly noticed the underlying worry in her eyes, the crinkle between her brows.

“Yeah. Now stop worrying. Weren’t you the one who said everything was going to be okay?”

Nicole laughed and beckoned Waverly over. Waverly crawled across the bed and curled up against Nicole’s side.

“Sounds like somethin' I’d say,” Nicole said, wrapping an arm around Waverly’s shoulder. “How’re you feelin' baby?”

Waverly placed her ear on Nicole’s chest and listened to the steady beating of her heart. _Thump, thump. Thump, thump._ She let the sound ground her. 

Waverly was toeing the line between emotionless and overly emotional, wavering between them with uncertainty. In moments she’d drift to anger, despair, and heartbreak. In others, she felt empty, like a chasm of oblivion. 

Today had taken a turn she hadn’t expected, forcing her to confront feelings and wounds she’d recently healed. But as she lay there, with Nicole’s steady heartbeat sounding beneath her, Waverly realized she didn’t have to do this alone. Whatever came of Wynonna’s arrival, she had someone to lean on. 

“I just want to go home. Take me home, Nicole.”

~~End of Chapter One~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed the short but chilly beginning to this next part of the series!!
> 
> I will be updating whenever I can! Look out for Wednesdays, those are officially my days now! With school starting soon, it'll be updated less frequently. I hope you'll stick with me though!
> 
> P.S. I'm writing a *new* Wayhaught AU that'll be posted in a few weeks! It's based on another Julia Roberts movie...feel free to guess which one ;)
> 
> Thanks for joining me on another fic journey my friends and thanks for reading,  
> xoxo


	2. Frozen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wynonna cracked an eyelid open, taking in her unusually comfortable surroundings.
> 
> She was cocooned beneath a plush blanket, her head resting on a furry throw pillow. By the light that filtered in past the ornate drapes adorning the large windows, she could tell it was already mid-morning. Letting out a loud yawn, Wynonna sat up on the couch and stretched. She felt her back pop and her shoulders loosen. With the ghost of a smile gracing her lips, Wynonna relaxed back against the cushions and ran a hand through her mussed hair.
> 
> She hadn’t slept soundly in a long time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, buuuuut I'm officially situated in NYC, all moved in with my amazing girlfriend, and my screenwriting program starts next week :) AHHH!!! 
> 
> And now back to the good stuff. In this chapter, we meet a new character who gives Wynonna a helping hand, Waverly is a ball of chaotic energy, and Nicole comes to a realization.
> 
> The title comes from the song by Sabrina Claudio. Link to the playlist for Fractured in Ice: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5U59OxtVtADtgFDQRtxzDl?si=qEk8zRv4TeKFhdrgmmSX_A
> 
> Hope you enjoy, Earpers!

**Chapter Two: Frozen**

Wynonna cracked an eyelid open, taking in her unusually comfortable surroundings.

She was cocooned beneath a plush blanket, her head resting on a furry throw pillow. By the light that filtered in past the ornate drapes adorning the large windows, she could tell it was already mid-morning. Letting out a loud yawn, Wynonna sat up on the couch and stretched. She felt her back pop and her shoulders loosen. With the ghost of a smile gracing her lips, Wynonna relaxed back against the cushions and ran a hand through her mussed hair.

She hadn’t slept soundly in a _long_ time.

“Careful, you almost look vaguely happy, Earp,” came a voice from the kitchen, causing Wynonna to blink and look up.

Mercedes Gardner leaned against the wall, nursing a cup of steaming coffee, her pristinely white jumpsuit standing out in stark contrast against the dark wood paneling of the walls.

“Musta been those pills I scored from your purse last night. Made the world all shiny and floaty,” Wynonna said, gesturing around with her hands in emphasis.

“You better be kidding. That’s my good shit,” Mercedes said, eyes narrowing.

Wynonna stood and wiped her hands on her leggings. “Chill out, Walter White. I was just joking, your stash is intact.”

Mercedes snorted with a shake of her head. “God, you haven’t changed a bit. Still _such_ a bitch. Now, get some caffeine in your system before I regret giving your ass a place to crash.”

“Sure thing. I’ll have a mocha, extra whip.”

Mercedes rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “This isn’t a Starbucks. Pour your own damn cup of coffee,” she said as she went into the kitchen, her back now to Wynonna.

Wynonna bit back a smile and grabbed her jacket from the back of the couch. As she put it on, she followed Mercedes and made her way over to the coffee machine on the counter.

“Uhh, thanks, by the way,” Wynonna said quietly as she poured the coffee, her eyes remaining on the liquid filling her cup.

“Didn’t quite catch that,” Mercedes replied flippantly from her spot at the table.

Wynonna huffed and then turned, leaning back against the counter. The mug warmed her hands, helping to fight off the early morning chill.

“ _Thanks_. Don’t make me say it again.”

“Yeah, well, whatever. How could I say no to my best friend who shows up out of the blue after a decade?”

Wynonna caught the underlying hurt in Mercedes’s voice and grimaced. She took a sip of the coffee and immediately spit it back in the cup. Eyes finding Mercedes’s, Wynonna gestured to her cup and stuck out her tongue.

“Bleh, what in the sweet hell is this?"

“I offered you coffee. Never said it was any good.”

Wynonna dropped the cup onto the counter and wiped her mouth, eyes never falling from Mercedes’s. Taking in a long breath and then releasing it, Wynonna crossed her arms.

“I…I meant to call.”

Mercedes pursed her lips, her hands moving around the sides of her mug. She shifted in the chair, her posture still pristine as she gazed across the kitchen at Wynonna.

“What about saying goodbye? You skipped town without even telling me. Without so much as one fucking word.”

Wynonna dropped her eyes to the floor and stiffened. Flashes of her final night in Purgatory ran through her mind, causing her stomach to roll. A single suitcase sitting open on her bed. A heated exchange. Gus handing her an envelope with money. Being walked to the door and told not to come back.

Steeling herself against the memories, Wynonna tucked her chin to her chest and shut her eyes. She willed away the tears that burned them, not wanting to dissolve into pitiful sobs in Mercedes’s kitchen.

After all these years, being kicked out of her own home and her own family still left a bitter taste in her mouth, still caused the wounds in her heart to bleed. She’d stayed away for far too long. Out of fear, out of shame, out of cowardice. Gus had told her that everyone she loved suffered when she was around. That she wasn’t good enough. A bad influence on Waverly. As broken as they came. 

She had let herself buy Gus’s bullshit excuses, let them fuel her aimless wanderings and misguided attempts at fitting in anywhere and everywhere except Purgatory. That was her way of life up until a few weeks ago.

One phone call had brought reality crashing down. Curtis was dying—or so she’d been told. So, without much thought as to how her arrival would be received, Wynonna purchased a one-way ticket home from Greece.

Gus had reacted as she’d expected. Still up on her high horse, believing her shit didn’t stink and that she was on the right side of history. _Typical_. Curtis had confused her. She didn’t know why he hadn’t given her more of a greeting. He’d always had a soft spot for her. The redhead standing by her sister’s side was a mystery and a little too clingy for her taste. 

And then there was Waverly. She’d looked so angry. So goddamn angry. The look on Waverly’s face, the borderline hatred in her eyes…it still made Wynonna sick to her stomach.

It wasn’t until that moment, when she’d spied the tears rolling down Waverly’s cheeks and the unsympathetic frigidity in her expression, that Wynonna realized just how fractured their relationship was. Their sisterhood had shattered…but Wynonna was going to do whatever it took to get Waverly back.

“Wynonna?”

Wynonna looked up and saw an uncharacteristically worried expression on Mercedes’s face.

“What?”

Mercedes softened a bit, the beginnings of a genuine smile on her face. “I would have gone with you, you know. I hated this shithole place and these shithole people. I wanted out as much as you did. I…still do,” Mercedes said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“The world’s a shithole, there’s no running away from it…” Wynonna said, her lips twitching as she pictured how her grand exit would have been dramatically different if she’d had Mercedes by her side. “But, maybe it might have been a little more...bearable with you there.”

Mercedes’s grin deepened. “Might have? Puh-lease. Of course it would have, bitch! Five-star hotels every night, spa getaways, exotic trips. We never would’ve had to work a day in our lives!”

Wynonna laughed and pushed off the counter. “I’m not much of pampered, mud facial kinda gal. Seaweed scrubs, though? They really turn my crank.”

Mercedes burst out laughing and got up from the table. She walked up to Wynonna and pulled her in for a tight hug.

“I missed you, Wynonna. No more disappearing on me. Got it?”

“I...I don’t know. No promises. But I’ll stick around for a while,” Wynonna replied, tentatively wrapping her arms around Mercedes. After a moment, she untangled herself and moved out of Mercedes’s arms, unwilling to linger. Giving Mercedes a tight smile, Wynonna stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets.

“I’ve gotta go.”

“Big plans already? I’m a little hurt. I thought we’d get the day to catch up, even pulled out a nice bottle of tequila.”

“Raincheck on the limes and salted rims? I’m meeting Waverly.”

Mercedes’s eyebrows rose high on her forehead as she crossed her arms. “Little sister agreed to see you? Color me sur-fucking-prised.”

“You and me both. I’ll see you tonight?”

“Dinner’s at seven, don’t be late.”

Wynonna nodded and turned on her heel before heading out of the Gardiner house.

~~~

Nicole ran her hand along the bedsheet, searching for the warmth of Waverly.

Finding nothing but chilly air and emptiness, Nicole lifted her head from her pillow, confused. Looking around, she couldn’t see her love, but then she heard pots and pans clanging in the kitchen downstairs. Sighing, she dropped back onto the bed, crossing her arms over her head.

Waking up without Waverly was always disappointing, but waking without her _this_ morning was particularly worrying. Last night had been tough.

Waverly had been withdrawn, quiet. She hadn’t said more than a handful of words to Nicole after they’d gotten back to the Homestead. It worried Nicole, had shaken her down to her very core. So, she did what she did best: she hovered, ready to step in if Waverly needed her. But for most of the evening, Waverly didn’t.

Her only solace came as they were lying in bed, drifting towards sleep. Without preamble or warning, Waverly cuddled up to her and kissed her. It was quick, the touch barely there. Nicole almost thought she’d imagined it. But then Waverly had whispered, “I love you,”' in her ear and draped an arm across her stomach, and Nicole knew she hadn’t.

Sitting up fully, Nicole ran her hands through her hair. It was almost past her shoulders now. Whenever she expressed ideas about cutting it, Waverly would run her fingers through it and wink, reminding her that she loved having something to hold onto. 

With a blush at the thought, Nicole pulled her hair into a bun and got up from the bed. After making her way downstairs and into the kitchen, Nicole came to an abrupt stop in the doorframe.

She saw stuff _everywhere_. It looked as if Waverly had used every pot in the kitchen, every utensil and every plate. It was a complete and utter mess, so unlike the typical cleanliness that Waverly preferred.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the heck happened here?”

Waverly whirled around, her hair loose and falling from her braid, her hazel eyes wild, her face and shirt covered in the evidence of her culinary catastrophe.

“Baby! You’re just in time! I made waffles and pancakes and eggs and bacon and poutine!”

Nicole quickly crossed the kitchen and laid her hands on Waverly’s shoulders. She could feel the energy buzzing beneath Waverly’s skin, the slight trembling in her frame. 

“Waverly,” Nicole said, her brows furrowed. 

“Hmm?” Waverly replied, blinking her eyes and then lifting them to meet Nicole’s.

“Why does the kitchen look like... _this_?”

Waverly laughed and pulled away from Nicole. She went to the sink and began tackling the mountain of dishes, loudly and brashly.

“I just woke up this morning and had a burning desire to cook! But then I couldn’t decide what I wanted to make, so I made it all.”

Nicole looked around in disbelief. Waverly’s explanation did nothing to lift the cloud of confusion that had settled over her mind.

“I...I still don’t get it. Are we feedin’ breakfast to everybody in Purgatory?”

Waverly stayed oddly silent, her hands scrubbing furiously at a pan in the hot, soapy water. Eyes narrowing, Nicole approached Waverly, her steps unsure. Coming to stand behind her, Nicole placed her hands on Waverly’s hips and pressed her front into Waverly’s back.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Nicole felt like she’d asked that same question a million times in the last 18 hours. But each and every time, she had no idea what answer she’d get. She had no idea what to expect from Waverly at a time like this, which scared her just a little. Well, _a lot_.

“Never better,” Waverly said with a forced smile.

She avoided Nicole’s probing gaze as she continued to attack the pile of dishes she’d created. She grabbed a knife and began to run it under the stream of water. 

“I’m actually thinking of making some breakfast burritos too. I just have to finish these and-” Waverly broke off as the knife slipped from her hands and sank into the soapy water. Nicole’s eyes widened as a thin slice of red bloomed to the surface of Waverly’s palm. 

“Wave!”

“I...I hurt myself.”

Nicole scrambled to grab a towel from the side of the sink. She quickly wrapped it securely around Waverly’s palm, stopping the blood flow as much as she could. Waverly just continued to stare at her hand as Nicole squeezed the towel tight against the cut. 

Holding Waverly’s hand between them, Nicole tugged on Waverly’s hip to turn her around, worried gaze tracing her features.

“Baby, are you-”

“I hurt myself,” Waverly repeated, cutting Nicole off. Her voice was devoid of emotion, the words coming out matter-of-fact.

“No, my love,” Nicole said, shaking her head. “It was an accident. It’s not your fault.”

Waverly’s eyes rose to meet Nicole’s. The hazel irises slowly filled with sadness as her lower lip trembled. 

“Isn’t it though? If I hadn’t been so scatterbrained and stupid, I wouldn’t have done that. Of course, it’s my fault.”

It dawned on Nicole that Waverly wasn’t talking about the cut on her hand anymore. It had become more than that. So much more. 

Moving closer, Nicole used her finger to lift Waverly’s chin, keeping their eyes locked. 

“You have no fault here, Waverly. This will heal.”

“It’s deep though. It—it’ll take time.”

“Most…,” Nicole trailed off, choosing her words carefully, “...cuts do. But they always heal. No matter what.”

Waverly’s eyes drifted between Nicole’s, uncertainty written on her face. 

“But some wounds are barely healed and then they've opened right back up again. What about those? When do those finally go away?”

Nicole shook her head and grimaced. It was clear that the pain Wynonna had caused ran deep within Waverly. That even with love and happiness in her life, with acceptance of herself and her past, Waverly was still tethered to those scars and wounds. 

There didn’t seem to be a solution she could offer. There was almost nothing Nicole could say that would make this burden any easier to bear. So instead, she removed the towel from Waverly’s hand and dropped her gaze. 

The cut on Waverly’s hand, in reality, wasn’t deep at all. It just needed a bandaid or two. This wound, Nicole could fix. Turning to grab some bandages from a drawer behind her, Nicole began to gently apply them to the cut. Once she’d covered it completely, Nicole lowered her head and kissed the spot that had caused Waverly a moment’s worth of pain. 

Eyes lifting, Nicole tried to figure out how to best help to heal the wound she couldn’t see, but the wound she knew well. 

Nicole had some experience here, they both did. Their pasts were tapestries littered with heartbreaks and pain, with tears and cuts they’d been burdened with, tried to fix, or ignored. Hers had gone untouched and untested for years, giving her more time to patch them up. But Waverly’s was once again fresh. She had _just_ tasted the beauty that existed at the beginning of healing when the tear had forcibly fissured and reopened once more. 

Nicole could only do so much. So with a sigh, she dropped Waverly’s hand and then caressed her face with a gentle touch, her thumbs gliding over smooth skin.

“There’s no timetable for grief and loss, baby. But before you know it, the better days outweigh the bad ones, and you won’t think about the pain anymore. Wounds only heal with time and love. So that’s what I’ll do my very best to give you.”

Waverly’s brows scrunched together, her expression pensive. 

“What about forgiveness? Where does that fall in with your time and love theory?”

Nicole’s lips quirked up in a half-smile, her desire to lighten the heavy mood driving her to joke just a little.

“I don’t think lookin’ for forgiveness from that knife will end the way you want it to.”

Waverly laughed and shook her head. Wrapping her arms around Nicole, she burrowed into her, putting her face in the crook of Nicole’s neck.

“We stopped talking about that knife awhile ago, baby.”

Nicole squeezed Waverly tightly and closed her eyes.

“I know. I also know that forgiveness is a tricky business. Knives or no knives.”

The kitchen was quiet as Waverly ruminated on the concept. Her breathing had slowed and evened out, her trembling all but ceased. Nicole knew she was thinking hard, she could practically hear the gears turning in Waverly’s mind.

“I don’t know if I can ever forgive her.”

The whispered confession all but broke Nicole’s heart. Blinking back hot tears, Nicole kissed the top of Waverly’s head.

“Oh, love. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Forgiveness isn’t somethin’ to just throw out willy nilly. It’s also not somethin’ anybody can give out for you. You call the shots, you set the pace.”

Waverly was quiet once more. It was as if she was weighing every word she spoke carefully, as if she struggled to find the right ones.

“I’m exhausted,” Waverly said finally, her hands making fists in the material of Nicole’s shirt. “I had the energy of six people just a second ago...but now I feel empty again. It’s like my mind can’t decide how to feel about all this.”

“Neither, it seems, can your heart.”

Waverly nodded against her neck. “Nicole, I...I’m scared. I don’t feel like _me_ anymore. Is that normal?”

Nicole pulled back, her hands lifting to Waverly’s face once more. With a delicate touch, she forced Waverly’s eyes to meet her own. 

“It's okay to be scared. And baby? Normal’s overrated. But you, Waverly Earp, are extraordinary. Don’t you ever let anybody make you feel like you’re not.”

Waverly sniffled and wiped at her eyes, offering Nicole a watery smile. 

“You make me feel like I am. Even with flour on my face and eggshells on my shirt.”

“I love you, flour and eggshells and all,” Nicole said with a grin. Suddenly, an idea struck and she brightened. “Hey Wave, why don’t you head into your workshop? Maybe a little time with some fire and glass will help your head _and_ your heart.”

Waverly’s eyes flashed with a memory, her gaze suddenly unfocused as she replied. “Gus once told me the fire doesn’t have the answers I’m looking for.”

“Well, she’s right,” Nicole said, dropping a hand and poking her pointer finger against Waverly's chest, right above her heart. The action made Waverly refocus on Nicole, the departure of the memory leaving her eyes clear once more. “The fire doesn’t. You do, Waverly. Now, get outta here. I’ll clean up.”

At the hesitation on Waverly's face as she surveyed the colossal mess she’d made in the kitchen, Nicole distracted her the best way she knew how. Cupping Waverly’s jaw, Nicole turned her back around and placed her lips on Waverly’s. Quickly deepening the kiss, Nicole pushed Waverly against the counter, evoking a beautifully sinful combination of a moan and a sigh. After one more swipe of her tongue against Waverly’s, Nicole pulled away. 

Eyes opening, a slow smile broke out across her face at the blissed-out expression Waverly currently wore. It took Waverly a second to come back to her senses, but then she blinked and lifted her shining eyes to Nicole’s. 

Grinning, she swiped her thumb along her lower lip. “You’re trying to distract me.”

Nicole winked. “Guilty. Now go, baby. I’m about to get all domestic up in here, these dishes won’t know what hit ‘em.”

Waverly looked as if she were going to protest, but then she lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed Nicole once more. 

“I love you. So much, Nicole. So much more than you know.”

Dropping her forehead to Waverly’s, Nicole grinned. “Same goes, Wave. I’ve never loved anybody the way that I love you.”

Nicole heard Waverly’s breath catch, saw her eyes widen at the whispered admission. Waverly had an almost awed expression on her face, the same one she’d get whenever Nicole said those three little words. The newness of saying them never faded, and maybe the novelty of hearing them never would either.

After one final kiss, Nicole leaned back and pushed Waverly towards the stairs. 

“Go.”

Nicole watched Waverly walk away and slowly ascend the stairs. With a shake of her head, she turned around and took in the mess of the kitchen. She didn’t know what to make of everything that had happened this morning. The out-of-character culinary disaster, the swinging pendulum of emotions, the cut on Waverly’s hand, the freshly opened wound in her heart. It left Nicole a little off her rocker and very worried.

Waverly had told her about the morning Wynonna had left, of the unexpectedness of it, of the heartbreak. She hadn’t seen it coming, in any shape or form. Waverly said it’d been a little like having complete and utter blind faith in her sister, delusionally believing that she would always be there, that she would never leave her like the rest of their family had. But then Wynonna did exactly what Waverly never thought her capable of.

The worst part, as Waverly had put it, was the lack of answers. She had no clue why Wynonna had left, leading to her fill in the proverbial blank with any and every reason she could come up with. Often, to her own detriment. 

Nicole had found herself almost thankful she’d never had to go searching for answers. She never had to wade the waters of self-doubt and uncertainty like Waverly had. When her own parents had disowned her, there was no guessing or wondering as to why. Nicole knew, down to the last disappointment, exactly why her parents had left her. There was no mystery there, no delusion that maybe things could be different. And she was better for it. At least knowing had allowed her to break completely and then do her best to pick up the pieces. 

But Waverly hadn’t been afforded that so-called luxury. She’d merely shattered and remained unhealed, her questions going unanswered. 

Until now.

As Nicole finished fixing Waverly a sampler plate of her array of breakfast foods, she couldn’t shake the idea that Waverly was finally in a position to get some answers. Even if they were the worst of answers, the ones that chopped you at the knees and snuffed out the smallest ray of light in your heart, Waverly could finally get them. In truth, Waverly needed them. She deserved them. 

Blowing out a long breath, Nicole put the plate on the counter and turned to tackle the mountain of dishes. As she scrubbed and cleaned, she wrestled with what to do, with the best way to help Waverly. She ran through idea after idea, making small work of the pile of dishes. She struggled and pondered even as she heard Waverly come down and grab the plate from the counter, even as she felt Waverly brush a light kiss to her cheek and whisper a ‘thank you’ into her ear. 

Finally, she realized there was truly only one way forward. No matter what came of it, Waverly needed answers. And to get them, Waverly had to let Wynonna in. 

A knock at the door shook Nicole from her thoughts, but did nothing to lessen the icy, sinking feeling in her chest. After drying her hands on the towel, she made her way to the door, the sound of aggressive knocks echoing through the house. 

Yanking the door open, Nicole’s eyes widened as they settled on the person standing on the front porch. 

“What are you—what’re you doin’ here?”

Wynonna narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, suspicious gaze trained on Nicole. 

“I could ask you the same thing, ginger spice.”

~~End Chapter Two~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna at the Homestead? I don't see that going badly at all...
> 
> Next chapter we get Waverly back in front of the fire, Nicole and Wynonna butt heads, and the Earp sisters exchange words. 
> 
> Until the next, thanks for reading Earpers! 
> 
> xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for joining me on another fic journey my friends and thanks for reading,  
> xoxo


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